CHAPTER ONE

After the death of her parents in a train derailment in 1868, Angelina was forced out of the family home when the bank foreclosed on it, leaving her with little money and only the possessions she could manage to carry in two large carpet bags. Her parents had been reasonably well off, but they also had a large mortgage and by the time this was paid there wasn't very much left.

Angelina was eighteen and had little experience of the world, but now she had no choice other than to venture out into it alone. She had no other relatives and her parents' friends disappeared quietly when they thought there might be a chance they would have a teenage girl foisted upon them.

She made the decision to leave Denver and bought a ticket on the stagecoach to a small town to the south which she had never heard of. She knew the journey would take almost two weeks and as Denver held nothing but unhappy memories for her, she was eager to make it. Besides, her meagre savings would not keep her in lodging for very long in Denver and she knew she could rent a room for perhaps a couple of dollars a week elsewhere.

Just two days into the journey and the stagecoach was held up by thieves who took any money and valuables carried by the travellers. The driver was shot and the horses taken, leaving Angelina and four other travellers stranded.

The party walked for miles, growing weary and dusty, not even knowing where they were going. A further attack came late that afternoon, from Indians this time. Angelina was fortunate in that she was attending to a call of nature in a clump of trees some distance from the other four people, but they weren't so lucky. The two men were killed with arrows and the woman and her daughter taken away. So the young girl was alone in the middle of who knew where as night approached.

Angelina took clothing from her lost companions' baggage and used it to lie on and cover herself as she bedded down amongst the trees, cold and afraid and wondering what was to become of her. With no money and no idea where she was, she considered she might as well be dead.

She woke early the next morning with renewed resolve and set off on foot in what she guessed was a southerly direction, going on the position of the sun in the sky. She took only one of her bags with her, unable to manage the weight of both, keeping two changes of clothes and some essential personal items such as her hairbrush, soap, scent and a picture of her parents.

She had no food or water, but found a stream during the afternoon where she drank and freshened up. She rested a while until dusk approached and then as she looked around her she noticed the glow of lights in the distance; too many for an isolated farm. She had reached civilisation.

Angelina got to her feet again, deciding to continue rather than sleep out in the open and she finally arrived in Colorado Springs not long after midnight. By then most of the lights had been extinguished, but one building was still glowing bright. The local saloon, The Gold Nugget. Men were leaving in ones and twos, some walking upright and others staggering, supporting each other.

Angelina kept out of sight until the street was quiet and then approached the door. Lights still flickered inside and as she halted on the porch, she spotted a notice stuck to the inside of the glass in the outer door. "Girls Wanted". Perhaps they needed someone to wait tables or clean. She could see no sign of life, but she knocked on the door and waited a few moments. No one appeared and she pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it carefully after her.

Suddenly she heard boots thudding on the floor and a door behind the bar swung open to admit a man, presumably the barkeep. He was tall, probably more than six feet, and well built with muscle. His long blond streaked hair fell around his shoulders and his tanned face was covered in stubble. His shirt was open to the waist, revealing the top half of a partly unbuttoned union suit underneath, sleeves rolled up.

"Whaddya want?" he demanded. His voice was deep and rough and Angelina felt a flicker of fear as he strode towards her.

"I…uh…I'm answering the advertisement in the window," she stammered.

He stopped still, tucking his thumbs into his belt and looked her up and down somewhat insolently.

"Ain't from around here, are ya?"

"I'm from Denver."

"So what're you doing in this neck of the woods? Are ya lost?" he drawled.

"No, I'm…looking for somewhere to live and to work," she said.

"Well, could be you've come to the right place. What's yer name?"

"Angelina."

"Nice." He nodded approvingly and stepped closer. "I'm Hank Lawson. I own this place." He walked around Angelina in a circle and her spine stiffened, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end until he reappeared in front of her. She felt decidedly uncomfortable and knew she was blushing.

"Well, we got a couple empty rooms," Hank continued. "Follow me. You can get settled in for a day or two before you start work."

"Oh. Well, I don't mind getting started right away," she said. "I have no money; I'd rather earn my keep."

Hank grinned. "Eager little thing, ain't ya? Can't see that from your appearance." He looked her up and down again. "Ah, well, folks often ain't what they seem."

He turned away and headed through the back of the bar. Angelina followed timidly past two closed doors behind which she could hear strange sounds - creaking and groaning - and she began to feel even more uncomfortable without knowing why. She wondered if she had made a huge mistake by coming into the saloon.

"Here you go." Hank swung open another door and ushered her inside. "This is yours."

The room was quite small, most of the floor space being taken up by a large bed covered in a red blanket, a small chest in one corner with a bowl and jug of water sitting on it and an oil lamp beside them. That was all.

"I'll leave you to it," said Hank and closed the door. Moments later Angelina heard his boots clumping up the stairs.

She had to admit the bed looked comfortable and she was exhausted from her journey and not having eaten since the previous day. She couldn't wait to lie down and fall asleep. She opened up the carpet bag, disappointed to find that she had omitted to pack a nightgown. She did however have her hairbrush. She undressed, keeping her pantaloons and chemise on, freshened up in the water bowl and brushed her hair. Then she blew out the lamp, pulled back the red blanket and the sheet beneath and slid into the bed.

As nervous as Angelina was in these unfamiliar surroundings she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow and sank into a dreamless sleep. However it wasn't too long before she was disturbed. She heard a door open and close, voices outside and heavy footsteps leading out into the bar. Then more doors opening and closing. She lay awake listening, but then all went quiet again until she heard more footsteps overhead and then on the stairs. Suddenly her door opened and she froze, lying rigid and holding her breath. The door closed and someone climbed onto the bed.

The room was lit only by the faint glow of the moon outside the window, but Angelina could just make out the silhouette of Hank. Her heart began to pound in fear as he slid under the covers and moved towards her.

"What are you doing?" she cried, finding her voice at last and backing away as far as she could before she was stopped by the wall at her back.

"Ssshhh!" hissed Hank. "Whaddya think I'm doing? Fancied sampling the merchandise before I let the men at ya. Come here, don't be shy." He reached out, gripped her by the waist with his large hands and pulled her against his body. She put her hands on his chest and attempted to push him away, feeling warm skin under her palms and quickly realising he wore only his union suit, open to the waist.

"Let me go!" she whimpered, terrified. "Please!"

"Don't like me or something?" he chuckled. "Don't know what kinda place you've come from, but you don't get to pick and choose. You'll get a lot worse than me tomorrow. Most of 'em don't even take a bath." He held her tighter and suddenly his mouth covered hers. She tasted smoke and whiskey and felt the rough stubble on his face against her skin. She jerked her head to the side, tears pricking her eyes.

"Please," she begged again, hearing her voice crack. "Don't."

To Angelina's surprise he let go suddenly and she edged backwards and sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her chin on them.

"Ain't done this before, have ya?" Hank asked softly.

"No." She let out a single sob and then bit her lip as Hank sat up.

"Hell," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "It said 'Girls Wanted' on the door. I didn't realise it meant…" She stopped.

"Whores? Whaddya think it meant? Cook and bottle washer?"

"Y-yes."

"Suppose I should have guessed," Hank sighed. "You're a lady, by the look of you. So what did you do in Denver?"

"I went to school up until a few months ago."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Hell," muttered Hank again. "You're just a kid."

"I suppose I am." Angelina crawled past him to the end of the bed and put her feet on the floor, standing up. She had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"Hey, where ya going now? It's the middle of the night." Hank got to his feet too.

"I'll…uh…I'll find somewhere to stay," she said, fumbling for her clothes which she had left folded on top of the carpet bag.

A hand grasped her wrist and she froze again.

"Ain't nowhere else," Hank drawled. "This room's empty for now till I find a new girl, or there's one upstairs."

"I haven't any money," Angelina said, near tears again. "Please let me go."

"Aww, come on, you can't head off with nowhere to go." He let go of her wrist and leaned against the door. "Maybe we can work something out about the room."

"I won't be beholden to anyone," she said stiffly. "I can't work here; not the way you want."

"Alright, look. You gave me the idea you can cook. How about you take the room tonight and cook me dinner tomorrow. That'll about cover it. Then we'll talk about where you're gonna go."

"Um…well…" She couldn't really say no. The only other option was a meadow or someone's barn. "Alright. Thank you."

"Good. Get some sleep." He opened the door. "That's what I'm gonna do, since I ain't gonna be having company after all." He went out and closed the door after him.

Angelina stood still for several minutes and listened to him walk back up the stairs and open and close a door overhead. Then she sank down onto the bed, her legs too weak to continue holding her up. She sat there for a long time afraid that he would change his mind and come back, but all was silent and eventually she slid back into the bed and fell asleep.